Julian Abele Cook Jr., a retired Detroit federal judge, has died at age 86.
The court said Cook died Tuesday in Silver Spring, Maryland, his home in retirement. A cause wasn't disclosed.
Cook was a judge for 36 years until September 2014. One of his last high-profile cases was the federal government's oversight of the Detroit police department due to excessive force, illegal arrests and other problems.
In 1986, Cook presided over a criminal trial involving auto executive John DeLorean. He was acquitted.
Cook was in private law practice when President Jimmy Carter made him a judge in 1978.
Federal Judge Victoria Roberts says Cook repeatedly encouraged her to apply to become a judge. She says she was inspired by Cook's "patience, kindness and demeanor on the bench."
